Superhero Media: X-Factor [Investigations]

To clarify before we begin this first installment of Superhero Media to actually be about a superhero comic, I need to clarify that it is X-Factor Vol. 3 that I am writing about, also known as X-Factor Investigations or "that one where Multiple Man has a detective agency". Full disclosure, I typically don't care for X-men and had to be browbeaten into giving X-Factor a go. Seriously, the character list of Multiple Man, Strong Guy, M, Rictor, Siryn and Wolfsbane is hardly "A-list" superhero material, but that actually works in the comic's favour. Much as it can be a cliche, Multiple Man needs to pull together a disparate group of losers and outcasts in order to protect and occasionally save the New York ghetto of "Mutant-town". The lack of trustworthy police and an oppressed minority populous would seem to speak to the American Civil Rights movement, but actually harkens to pre-war Germany and the victimisation of Jews. 

What X-Factor does best is something it does unintentionally. X-Factor takes place, as one would expect, in the 616 Universe, which means that major events, such as "House of M", "Civil War" and "Secret Invasion" come crashing into the narrative every now and then. This proves problematic as the intense, character-driven narrative of X-Factor (which, like a lot of X-Men. boarders on soap opera at times) is clearly the best part of the comic. Having to stall the Layla Miller or Rictor/Shatterstar story to deal with Skrulls or some X-Men BS that Madrox admits to not caring about really hurts the comic and leaves me wishing it was an indy line or more like Exiles. Unlike far too many Marvel and DC comics, X-Factor tells a story about how people change over time, some for better, some for worse. I can see why there is a huge cult following for this comic, even though I don't rate it too highly myself. 

If Fox actually go ahead with their proposed X-men television series, I think X-Factor or something like it would be a good place to start. The characters are minor in the grand scheme of things, but still have unique and fun powers as well as conflicting personalities. The story follows a reasonable arch (excepting the crossover issues) with a distinct hero's journey (for Layla, not James, another mark in its favour) and a satisfying conclusion. Such a move would help build the world that Fox seem to want, in an attempt to emulate the MCU and ride the Marvel tide of popularity high. Just look at the presence of Colossus and an X-Men name check in the Deadpool trailers for an example of this trend. If you can read X-Factor, I'd recommend it, as, to me, it's the best X-Men comic out there. 
 

Thinking out loud: Vampires and Zombies and Werewolves, oh my!

An "issue" that I've noticed comics newcomers having on occasion is that most superhero settings freely mix science and magic. Even the Marvel Cinematic Universe does it, with a little bit of "Clarke's Law" hand waving to explain Asgard and the Gods.The MCU Doctor Strange will be an interesting experiment in getting the mainstream cinema audience to accept magic in a contemporary setting. So what's the deal with Dracula being a major fixture of the Marvel Universe, or Frankenstein's Monster being a member of the Outsiders? Time for a bit of a comics history lesson. Back in the "good ol' days" comics came in a variety of genres; not just superheroes, but pirates, space adventures, horror, romance, war stories, pretty much anything went. Naturally, there were comic interpretations of classics like Dracula and Frankenstein. When superheroes really took off for Marvel and DC in the 1960s, they had a choice; ignore the decades of of other continuity or try and fold it all together somehow. 

Naturally, Stan Lee decided to mesh everything he had worked on together no matter how silly it made the fetal, emerging, Marvel Universe. Y'know Patsy Walker from Jessica Jones on Netflix? Well she's an Avenger known as Hellcat in the comics, but she started in Patsy Walker comics as a teenaged romantic lead. Lee, not being one to let any idea go to waste, his own or not, recycled Patsy when he needed [yet] another Avenger. Same deal with Dracula. He's still somehow a big deal in the Marvel Universe, Captain Britain and MI-13 (an underrated series canceled before its time) concludes with a story arch about Dracula trying to invade Great Britain from the moon with his army of magic vampires. Frankenstein's Monster also has, maybe, two lines in 52, but as I read more Marvel, I notice it more in that. 

So, do Vampires and other monsters have a place in Superhero adventures? Hell yes! In worlds populated by alien gods, irradiated monsters and billionaires in bat costumes, are vampires, zombies and werewolves really that far out? Personally, I'm working on a Vampire-themed team for my French Revolution campaign, but who knows if they'll turn up in modern day or even the future? The supernatural is a great excuse for wacky shenanigans in supers gaming, it can provide new antagonists and open up a realm of new characters from horror that can come into your games. 

Superhero Media: Justice League - Gods and Monsters

Bruce Timm, the driving force behind much of the '90s DC animated television, has begun his own unique "universe", and it's pretty damn awesome. Wonder Woman is a refugee from New Genesis, Superman is the son of General Zod and Batman is Kirk Langstorm, a vampire. Naturally this version of the league is a tad more direct in its approach, just straight-up murdering people that cause enough trouble. This kind of "kick in the door" approach to crime-fighting causes friction with global governments and soon a cadre of famous DCU scientists (including Will Magnus and Ray Palmer) are plotting to eliminate the league. I won't spoil what's actually going on, but suffice to say, it makes Final Crisis look like it was written in crayon. 

At the end of the day, Gods and Monsters isn't about the narrative so much as it is about the characters. Remember the "characters I want to see more/less" entries on this blog? This is exactly what I was talking about with Batman. That Wonder Woman and Superman get the same treatment just makes it all so much better. The world that Timm creates for Gods and Monsters is to the DCU what the Ultimate Marvel Universe is to Marvel 616; it's cleaner, less complex and a hell of a lot deadlier. Ultimate Marvel had no problem killing major characters, like Beast, Spiderman and Norman Osborn, which made it different and, in some ways, stronger in narrative than 616. The bodycount, both literal and psychological, in Gods and Monsters sets it apart as more than a simple homage to the same "big three" of the DCU that have been saving the day for over 70 years at this point. 

 

Hardcore DC/Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman fans may not like Gods and Monsters. It takes the characters in a new direction that is not comfortable or fun. Bruce Timm has shifted the tone with this film and firmly stated that he's not playing by the old rule book. People die, stuff breaks and the world will never be quite as safe as it was when the "big blue boy scout" was rescuing cats from trees. There are sequels in the works and I'm mad keen. I want to see Superman rip a guy in half on television and Batman make a vampire robin. Keep up the good work Bruce! 

Miniatures Finished: The Illuminated Order [FR]

Who is the Illuminated Order and what plans do they have for the magical artifacts gathered in France? Only time will tell, but for now they're the first completely painted faction for the French Revolution campaign! 

 The Beast (RAFM), The Hermetic (Pathfinder) and The Blood Lotus (RAFM); mysterious foes with unknowable motives. 

 The First Among Equals (Games Workshop) and The Lilit (RAFM, Eureka and Fiendish Fabrications); can the world withstand the onslaught of such daemonic foes? 

 

Superhero Media: Blacula

When I watched this, I assumed that it would be pretty awful. I mean, I have a good tolerance for poorly made cinema, what with my love of Wuxia, Kaiju and pulp Sci-Fi, but, c'mon, Blacula? All that was going through my head for the first few minutes was Jefferson Twilight saying "I hunt and kill black Draculas, I don't know the politically correct term for that". That said, once I settled in (and downed my first beer), I found that Blacula was actually surprisingly good, for the most part. The "origin" scene, in which Dracula is entertaining King Mamuwalde and his Queen, sometime in the Colonial era, has the King trying to forge an alliance with Dracula and other European monarchs to protect Africa from the ravages of Colonialism. That's some Black Panther level thinking right there. Of course, it doesn't work, he gets embraced and locked away by the father of all vampires. 

Time moves on and a couple of flamboyantly gay New York interior designers buy Dracula's castle, finding Blacula's coffin and reawakening him, there his search for his lost bride begins. Given the premise, period and obvious lack of budget, Blacula actually manages to be pretty good in parts. The "blood-drinking" scenes and vampire makeup are poor, but Blacula's motives, the police investigation into him and the final confrontation in the pump station are all quite well done. There's a strong social conscience and some great humour; "That is the rudest ni**er I have ever seen in my life." Frankly, I was shocked with how good Blacula managed to be, given the forty-odd years of pop culture that has come after, making fun of this kind of thing. It's a shame, it's independent film, from a tumultuous era and deserves a little more respect than it tends to get; even if it is shonky in places. 

Blacula is better than you think it is. Yes, it's something of a pastiche, but one with a racial conscience and a view to a world of Black Equality. Blacula himself is actually an interesting and well-rounded character, his motivations are complex and driven by his experiences of racism and colonialism; he wants his beloved back, and then it's back to his throne to make Africa strong. I can see shades of Black Panther in here, as well as the way in which Dracula exists in the Marvel Universe, I may have to go looking for some Blacksploitation miniatures.

5 Animated Films Warner Premiere should consider making

Ever checked out the DC Universe animated films from Warner Premiere? They're direct to DVD releases based on "famous" DC comics and they're often a bit of fun. Sometimes they're even better than the comic they're based on; other times, they're dross, but hey, it's only 70 minutes of your life so who cares? The good ones can be really good, and I've never found one so bad that I couldn't at least paint to it. The very best manage to tell the stories better than the comics they're based on; Flashpoint and Justice League: New Frontier are better than most of the DC live action films. The Warner Premiere films are a great showcase for some of the DC stories that could never carry a full film or television release, however, they do seem tied to "recent" events in the DCU. Yes, there are some "classics" like Batman: Year One, but it really seems like there's a wealth of untapped potential. So here are my suggestions for fun animated titles that WP and DC could potentially make some coin with.

The Dark Knight Strikes Again

Often seen as the ugly stepchild of the classic The Dark Knight Returns and the beginning of Frank Miller's slide into insanity, I actually quite enjoy DKSA on it's own merits, few though they may be. Miller's schizophrenic style and bizarre artwork actually complement the storytelling device of internet talking heads and the social decay of a digital society. Batman, having revealed his secret identity and faked his death in The Dark Knight Returns, has organised his army of former street gangs in order to take back the world from Lex Luthor and Brainiac. If The Dark Knight Returns is the story of the death and rebirth of Batman, DKSA does the same for the Justice League, with many of the old guard dying or moving on and a new generation taking up the fight. Due to the odd art and unique set-pieces, DKSA would make an interesting animated film that could highlight the cleverness of the original and hide some of the stupidity that fans tend to focus on. And who doesn't want to see Batman wail on Superman with kryptonite gauntlets?

Amazons Attack! 

A Wonder Woman crossover event that was epic in it's stupidity, this suggestion will leave many scratching their heads. This event series is infamous for having Batman spout the line "Bees... my god." and fighter jets getting taken down by spears and arrows. It's dumb, inescapably dumb, and that's why I think it should be animated for all to see. In evidence, I'd like to submit Superman vs The Elite, an, at best, passable comic, with shallow villains and childish morality but pretty cool fight scenes, but an amazing animated film, with a great villain in the form of Manchester Black, Superman actually explaining his moral stance and plenty of cool fights. Now take that approach with Amazons Attack!, fix up the dialogue slightly (but leave in the bees line), boost the action and bury the story in amazing action faster than Zach Snyder. I'd watch it. 

52

Probably one of the best limited series that I've ever read, and practically no one has heard of it. 52 (or DC Comics' 52 as I've seen it called), was a weekly series that covered the events of a year in the DCU without Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman. Instead the story focuses on characters like Animal Man, Adam Strange, Elongated Man, Renee Montoya, Batwoman, Booster Gold, Black Adam and Steel. The writing is sharp and the use of secondary characters really allows for some interesting storytelling. The trade is in four volumes, so more than one DVD would probably be needed, but I think it would be worth it to get the story out there and generate more interest from some of the often-overlooked characters of the DCU, like Booster Gold and The Question.

Superman: Red Son 

Everyone knows the story of Superman. Last son of a dying planet, crash lands outside a collective farm in the former Ukraine, raised under Stalin and fights for Socialism, The Worker and the International Expansion of the Warsaw Pact! Red Son is one of the best Superman stories ever told, achieving critical acclaim and spawning lesser imitators in its wake, so why is so little done with it? Is it because its an atypical Superman story? Is it because it kind of paints Superman as a villain? Whatever the reason, it's not as good as it needs to be to convince me that Red Son should be a DVD film. There's not much more I can say about this other than that you really should go pick up a copy and give it a read.

Animal Man: The Hunt    

You wanna see some fucked up shit? Check out Animal Man. Buddy Baker gets his powers from the "life grid" formed by all of the animals on the planet, but what does that look like and how does it work? Turns out the answers involve a Geiger-esque netherworld made of flesh and bone. Add in Buddy's daughter's developing powers and getting hunted by literal monsters and this series manages to be enthralling and subtle. Visually, the look of Animal Man would stand it apart from the other WP titles, as well as the more adult themes and spiritual concepts. Fans of classic Swamp Thing would be well served checking this title out, as it links back to some of the older stories from the era of Hellblazer and Swamp Thing crossovers. 

Superhero Media: Young Justice

I can imagine the pitch meetings for this show very clearly. On one side of the table are a bunch of nerdy writers who really love the Teen Titans and on the other is a bunch of studio executives who want another Batman, The Animated Series. The programme can go ahead so long as it's angst-ridden, dark and brooding, so some of the characters need a rewrite. The meetings about trying to find a way to make Aqualad cool must have taken weeks. Tattoos? Yeah. Buff? Yeah. Water control? For some reason, yes. Also Robin is a hacker, despite being Dick Grayson, not Tim Drake, Superboy is emo and Kid Flash is horny. Together, they will save the world from a cadre of villains using bits of Starro to destroy the reputation of the Justice League. Yeah, it's not the best story. 

Where the programme shines (and why it has such a dedicated fanbase) is in the relationship between the characters. Unlike in many teen/tween dramas, the characters in Young Justice actually come across as real people, real adolescents with real problems of identity that go along with burgeoning adulthood. Entire episodes are given over to interactions within the team, which can be tedious in programmes like Arrow, but works with the less emotionally developed characters of Young Justice. The choice of villains is interesting too, with D-listers like Sportsmaster and The Brain not only making appearances, but playing major roles.
 

Has it come across that I have a few big niggles with this programme? Yes, it's good, really good, in fact, but there were a few things I just couldn't shake while watching it. Firstly, it's trying really hard to be "edgy" and cool, which can grate with the inherent silliness of the source material; it's Teen Titains for Zod's sake! Second, I get the feeling that this was a backdoor pilot for a new Justice League programme. The League show up a lot. Some episodes deal with League politics a great deal, which do lead somewhere in Young Justice: Invasion, but kind of jar with the theme of young heroes trying to be taken seriously. Still worth a look, just take with a grain of salt.